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FCE (First Certificate) Phrasal Verbs with 'Up'

It's hard to predict what phrasal verbs you might see in the FCE exam, but here are some you should try to learn. Look at the phrasal verbs and their definitions for 1 minute and try to remember as many as possible. Then click to hide the information and try to answer the questions.

Note: sb means somebody and sth means something.

PhrasalVerb Don't worry, I'll back you up The bully beat up the other children. Terrorists tried blow up the station. Why did he break up with me? You mustn't bring up his divorce. His divorce might come up. We always end up eating fast food. I usually get up early. I tried to give up eating chocolate. Children grow up quickly nowadays. I can't keep up. If you don't understand, look it up. You should take up a new sport. Don't turn up late on a first date. Please don't throw up on the sofa.

Meaning help/support sb hit/kick sb repeatedly Explode end a relationship mentionsth a topic is mentioned finally do this thing Leave my bed stop a habit Become older/an adult do sth fast enough look for a piece of info Start doing a hobby Arrive be sick

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FCE Part 1: Multiple Choice Cloze


Choose the best word to complete the following sentences.

1. I _______ up football when I was 12 years old, and I loved it.

came

took

brought

turned

2. I _______ up football after I broke my leg, because I didn't enjoy it. gave took kept turned

3. I couldn't ______ up with the work my teacher gave me - it was too difficult. back end bring keep

4. "Tell your boss you want more money. I'll _____ you up. bring back look put

5. She's sensitive about her weight, so only talk about it if she _____ it up. makes gets brings comes

FCE part 2: Open Cloze


The missing word could be the verb (e.g. bring/brought/bringing), the pronoun (e.g. it) or the particle (e.g. up). 1. I woke up at 6 am, but I didn't up until I heard the phone ring. it up on the Internet. up. up. three times this morning. up when you like.

2. If you don't know the answer, you could 3. I love films with explosions and things being

4. Did Tom tell you about his new job? No, it never 5. I'm not coming to work today. I've thrown 6. You don't need an appointment - just 7. He's depressed because he's 8. I promise I'll back

up with his girlfriend.

up if you need my help. up

9. Simon was attacked on the way home last night. The robbers beat badly. 10. It's bad manners to up the topic of religion at the dinner table. up fighting with my best friend. up but it was impossible.

11. The party started well, but I 12. He ran so fast. I tried to

13. I

up in a small town in Scotland. up.

14. Biting your fingernails is disgusting. You should really give 15. I'd never up skiing. It looks really dangerous to me.

Adjective + preposition (easy)

Many common adjectives are always used with a preposition. For example: I'm frightened of spiders.

It's a good idea to learn these if you can. There are some common examples in the tables below. Note: sb = somebody, and sth = something.

frightened of sth scared of sth OF afraid of sth tired of sth good at sth bad at sth FOR IN TO Famous for sth interested in sth kind to sb rude to sb worried about sth/sb excited about sth

AT

ABOUT

Many adjectives can use two prepositions. For example:


angry annoyed furious

I'm

With him

About the washing up.

The teacher is very bad at dancing.

Prepositions of Time

For and since are both used to say how long something was. However, we use them with different time words.

FOR
We use for when we say the number of hours, days, months, etc. We also use it in expressions like "for ages" and "for a long time". I'm going to live in France for 2 years. I sat down for 5 minutes. I've worked here for 3 months.

SINCE
We use since when we say when something started (e.g. Tuesday, 2008, midnight). We only use since with perfect tenses - you can read more about them in my grammar pages. I've lived here since October. I'd known Sam since 1999.

DURING
We use during with nouns (e.g. the holiday, my party, the night). Sometimes it means for all the time, and sometimes it means for just a part of the time. My grandmother worked in the USA during the war. I heard a strange noise during the night.

The teacher has been making this website since 2010.

Verb + preposition (easy)

Many common verbs are always used with a preposition. For example: I waited for 10 minutes, then I went home. It's a good idea to learn these if you can. Note: sb = somebody, and sth = something.

Thank sb for sth wait for sth prepare for sth For ask for sth apply for sth pay for sth apologise for sth Of In About To From At take care of sb/sth believe in sth Think about sth Belong to sb Prevent sb from doing sth laugh at sb/sth

Many verbs can use two prepositions. Forexample:


wrote I talked spoke I talked spoke

to him about the washing up.

with him about the washing up.

argued fought agreed

Most people agree that talk/speak to and talk/speak with can be used in the same way.

The teacher is thinking about her next holiday.

Prepositions of Time (in, on, at)

IN
We use in with years, seasons and months. I got married in 2007. I got married in December. I got married in the winter.

On
We use on with days and dates. I got married on 31st December. I got married on New Year's Eve

AT
We use at with times and well-known holiday periods. I got married at 3.30. I got married at New Year.

Here are some other examples you should learn:


In + the morning, the afternoon, the evening, but at night. At + mealtimes (at breakfast, at dinner ...). At + the weekend. At the moment, at present, at that moment. In the past, in the future.

Remember: we don't use in/on/at when we say "this / last / next". I'll see you next week. The teacher doesn't like working in the afternoon. Sheprefers sleeping.

wake up get up Put something on Takes omething off Go out set off get in wash up tidy up drop off Turn something on Turn something off

to stop sleeping To leave your bed To get dressed To remove clothes to leave the house (not for work) to leave (possibly for work) To return home to wash the plates and cups to put things into the right places to fall asleep (usually for a short time) e.g. a light, a shower (to start) e.g. a light, a shower (to stop

Phrasal Verbs - Relationships

Look at these phrasal verbs and definitions. When you think you can remember them, click 'hide words and test me' to practise using them.

Ask someone out

to say "would you like to go to the cinema/a restaurant...?"

Go out (with someone) to go on a date (to the cinema/a restaurant...) with someone 1 Go out (with someone) - 2 to be someone's boyfriend/girlfriend Get on (with someone) Fall out (with someone) to like someone and talk easily to argue and stop being friends

break up (withsomeone) to stop being boyfriend/girlfriend make up (withsomeone) chat someone up to be friends again after falling out to flirt with someone (talk to someone like you are attracted to them)

Phrasal Verbs for Sleep


Look at these examples for 1-2 minutes and try to remember as many as possible. Then click to hide the information and try to answer the questions.

PhrasalVerb My alarm clock goes off at 7am. I usually wake up at 7am. I get up at 7.30. Sometimes I drop off at work. Exercise can wear you out. You should lie down and rest. You'll sleep in if you forget to set your alarm. I like to lie in at the weekend. Can I sleep over at your house? Ring

Meaning

stop sleeping leavemybed gotosleep makeyoutired restonyour back sleeplongerthanwanted stay in bed after waking up sleep at a friend's house

Some phrasal verbs can also be adjectives: I feel really worn out. = tired Other phrasal verbs can become nouns. For example, lie in means to stay in bed in the morning. The noun is a lie-in. And sleep over means to sleep at a friend's house - the noun (usually a kind of party) is a sleepover. Note: to oversleep means to sleep for longer than you planned. I have a lie-in every Saturday. I had a sleepover for my 12th birthday party. I overslept this morning.

Phrasal Verbs for Speaking


Look at these examples for 1-2 minutes and try to remember as many as possible. Then click to hide the information and try to answer the questions.

PhrasalVerb He pointed out that she was late. He talked her into getting a job. He talked her out of buying that coat. He brought up my divorce. He owned up to the crime. He chatted me up in the bar. He went on about it for ages. He told her off for fighting. He went into all the details. He needs to speak up.

Meaning tell/inform sb about sth persuade sb to do sth persuade sb not to do sth mentionsth Admit flirt withsb talk for a long time speak angrily, because sb did sth wrong talk in detail about sth talk more loudly

Note: sb = somebody and sth = something

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